But can soda bring you world peace?

Published on May 17, 2013

Editor's Pick

Coca-Cola's long experimented with its vending machines, trying to make them more technologically advanced than the average soda-spitter-outer.

In the past, they've been known to give you a beverage only if you give them a hug, or if you dance or sing in front of them. Now, the beverage giant is attempting a much loftier goal: world peace. Along with agency Leo Burnett, Coke created "Small World Machines", two vending machines, one placed in India, and the other in Pakistan, that turned into communication portals. The idea was to let citizens of both countries -- long embroiled in a bitter political and religious battle -- see and interact with each other, even complete shared tasks. Once those tasks were accomplished, the machines dispensed a Coke. The move earned the beverage company plenty of Lions at Cannes -- three Golds, among them. Read more about how it was done in Behind the Work.